Teachers Share their Experiences While Living Abroad!

One of my biggest regrets when coming to Korea was that I didn’t begin to learn the language until my second year of teaching. If I had learned the language, I firmly believe that my first year here would have been even more amazing than what it was. While knowing Korean isn't required to teach for ChungDahm, you will find it is very beneficial to at least of have a general understanding of the language for things like using public transportation, reading a menu and understanding your students, especially if they are younger. Learning the Korean alphabet (Hangeul) only takes a few hours as King Sejong, the writer of Hangeul, made it so that that each letter represents movements made with the mouth and tongue. Below I have provided a list of common words that you should know when dealing with Korean students as well as Korean staff members during your time teaching in Korea.

ChungDahm has given me a great opportunity to expand my teaching and managing skills especially in a foreign environment. I will admit, managing is not for everyone and I don’t believe that anyone can become a manager, however if you are interested in growing with ChungDahm Academy, then becoming a Team Leader may be the first step for you.

Building a rapport in an ESL classroom is vital to having a successful semester. It takes a lot of courage to speak in another language and if your students speak freely and often it shows they feel comfortable enough to participate in your class. As an ESL teacher if you have accomplished this magic element it will help turn an average class into a great class!

If this is your first time teaching in Korea, it can be quite intimidating especially since you will be handling students. I remember when I got here, I wasn’t sure how I could connect with my students. I wasn’t fresh out of college and I wasn’t accustomed to the Korean culture. One of the things my trainers at Chungdahm told me to do was to brush up on Korean pop culture and ask my students’ about their daily lives. I think because I started to watch and listen to the Hallyu or the Korean Wave (Korea’s version of Hollywood), it has me a better teacher. To be successful, bonding with your students about different subjects can make your life teaching a lot easier.

It is unreal to think that teaching off a tablet has become a normal everyday thing. I remember a year ago I couldn't imagine teaching in a classroom that uses so much technology, and now daily I am immersed in some of the world's first "Smart Classroom" environments. Chungdahm Learning’s 3.0 classroom gives teachers and students the opportunity to engage with cutting edge education-technology every day, using smart textbooks, tablets and media for every class.

Discipline, classroom management, herding chickens- however you want to look at it, maintaining control of your classroom can be a daunting task. Oh sure, there are those classes that you could swear have been hit with a tranquilizer dart and you long for any interaction whatsoever (talkin' to you, 7pm Birdie!), and others who roll along just beautifully because of good classroom karma. But sometimes, whether it's just one student or the entire gang, a sweet verbal reminder (or twelve) doesn't get the job done, and you need something a smidge more effective. What's a teacher to do? Take the advice of this girl! Teaching middle school for eight years in every school setting imaginable hasn't made me an expert, but darned if I haven't discovered some key points about discipline along the way through multiple epic failures. Learn from my pain! I sure did.

It’s been quite warm lately. It’s been quite wet. Summer is here. And with a new season comes a new term at Chungdahm branches. There are four terms in a Chungdahm year, and each term brings new opportunities and new challenges. Let me fill you in on what you can expect from a new term, and how you can prepare for one. In this particular post, I’ll focus on how to turn a quiet, perhaps boring class into a lively learning environment.

The very first dinner invitation from my student Kyungju was indeed very special; it’s an experience that I will carry with me after I leave Korea and move onto other pursuits. I believe that I am the envy of many of my coworkers at Chungdahm, although no one willopenly admit it. I’m getting to better know my students family; Kyungju’s Dad works for POSCO, one of the top three companies in Korea and her mom Su-Eun majored in Art in college. Kyunju has a younger sister, 8 years old who is just adorable. Our time together is always very special.

Coming to Korea is not only about an opportunity to teach, to learn a new culture, to learn about yourself, but it is also the place to start a career. Going through Aclipse and Chungdahm, I met a lot of new people, a lot of folks that definitely taught me something new, especially this guy, Pinnacle. From the first day of being in Korea, he taught me something that I would never forget, how to teach Memory Giga. Pinnacle TheHustler (Jason Waller), was one of my two trainers when I first came to Korea to teach English.

From day one of teaching English in South Korea, I wanted to have a good relationship with my students. I obviously wanted them to respect me, but I also wanted them to feel comfortable with me and feel like they could be themselves in class. If you develop a close relationship, the class will run much smoother and the students will be more willing to work hard and participate.